Thursday, October 30, 2014

Thus far,
these stamp trail posts have covered all three of the areas listed in the
English version of the Daegu Stamp Trail as well as those same three areas in
the Korean version of the trail. This post is the last in the series, and it
will discuss the last section of the Korean stamp book, the Nakdong/Mt. Biseul
area locations. This area is not mentioned in the English version of the book,
but there are eight locations in it. This post will also provide details about
how to submit your stamp books for a prize.

The
locations in the Nakdong/Mt. Biseul area of the book are primarily ones that
you will need to visit on different days as they are quite far from one
another. That being said, Daegu has a science and environment city tour that
goes to three of these locations: the ARC, Daegu National Science Museum, and
the Daegu Arboretum. For just 5,000 won, you can see all three locations
without the hassle of trying to get via public transportation. It is highly
suggested that you take the tour. This tour runs once a day on Saturdays,
starting at 10am and finishing at 4pm. The tour pickup location is outside of
Hyundai Department Store downtown. But if you want to do the tour, please call
to make a reservation first to check that seats are available for your selected
date. The phone number is 053-627-8900. They should speak enough English on the
phone in order to make the reservation, or you could ask a Korean friend or
co-teacher to assist you. Although the tour isn’t really geared towards
foreigners, the tour guides don’t give you a ton of information about the
locations anyway. Their main role is to make sure the bus stays on schedule,
and they should be able to speak enough English to tell you how many minutes
you have to spend at each place. One more note: the tour price does not include
the $3 entrance fee for the Science Museum.

The first
stop on the tour is the Science Museum. It is about 40 minutes outside
downtown. The Daegu National Science Museum opened in the fall of 2013, so it
is still very new. It is in a beautiful location, surrounded by mountains as
well. The exhibits inside the museum have a lot of English, and they are
working towards captioning the various films in the museum as well as the films
at the museum’s planetarium. There are a variety of short, 4D films inside the
museum; don’t worry about the fact that they are in Korean. You can probably
understand what is happening without understanding the language. The Science
Museum is great for children! It is very interactive, and the information at
the museum is really geared toward a younger age group. It isn’t a very large
museum, and each wing is a different topic. The topics are climate change and
technology. There is also a wing specifically for very small children to play
and experience science. Before you leave, make sure to grab some lunch at the
museum’s cafeteria. You can get your stamp at the information desk inside the
museum.

The
Arboretum is the second stop on the tour. The Daegu Arboretum is a beautiful
place to visit year-round because the flowers and plants that you see change
with the seasons. The Arboretum was built on a landfill and now houses more
than 1,000 species of plants. There is a special museum on the grounds that
depicts the transition from landfill to arboretum. You can get your stamp from
the staff member in the booth by the parking lot before you go into the park. The
Arboretum is a fairly expansive park where you can picnic or play in warm
weather. There are outdoor gardens, ponds, and fountains all around the park as
well as indoor green houses. The cactus greenhouse is especially interesting. There
are also experience programs, such as soap making. Walking along the path on
the outer left of the park makes you feel as though you are in a forest instead
of a city. The Arboretum is definitely a place to relax and get back to nature.

The last
stop on the Science and Environment Daegu City tour is the ARC. If you’ve seen
it, your first thought was probably, “what is that!?” The ARC is a large,
silver arc-shaped building built right along the Nakdong River. Inside, there
is a small exhibit about the importance of the river to the history of Daegu,
including how the river, and its role, has changed over time. There are also a
few rotating art exhibits. You can get your stamp from the information desk on
the first floor.From the top, you can get a beautiful view of the city and
surrounding mountains. Part of the bike trail, which goes all along the river,
passes by the ARC. In hot weather, you can sit underneath the canopies outside,
and children can play in the fountain that shoots water periodically. The ARC
is an impressive structure dedicated to the rich history of waterways in Daegu.

If you do
the city tour, you will finish three of the eight locations in this part of the
stamp book. Now let’s talk about the rest. The Nakdong/Mt. Biseul area of the
Korean version of the Daegu Stamp Trail includes three of the themed villages
in Daegu: Mabijeong Mural Painting Village, Samunjin Jumakchon Taverns Village,
and Myogol Village (Yuksinsa Shrine).

It is
possible to visit the Mural Painting Village and the Taverns Village on the
same day. They are both in the southern part of Daegu, but the Taverns Village
is more to the west and the Mural Painting Village is to the east. In order to
get to either village, you have to go to Daegok Station on the red line. The
only bus that goes to the Mural Painting Village is the Dalseong 2, which you
can pick up just outside exit 1 of the station. Take it to the stop called
Mabijeong Wall Painting Maeul.

The problem is that the Dalseong 2 is a branch
bus, meaning that it only goes to that location about 10 times per day, so
there are long intervals between buses. It is very difficult to ensure that you
are getting on to the correct branch of the bus. It is much simpler to take a
taxi for about 5,000 won to the village from Daegok Station. If you show the
page in your stamp book to the driver, he or she should know where it is. In
case you aren’t following the book, but want to go to the village, the full
name of it is “Mabijeong Byeokhwa Maeul (마비정벽화마을).”

The Mural
Painting Village has the feeling of a small, countryside town. There are
beautiful murals all over the village that portray Korean traditions and
culture. They allow visitors to imagine a simpler time in Korean history. Some
of the murals are even interactive or “3D.” For example, you can hold a dog’s
leash or make it seem as though you are mixing a pot. In addition to the
murals, there are some hiking trails in the area as well as some restaurants
for you to enjoy some cheap, but delicious, Korean food. The stamp is actually
inside one of the restaurants in the village. The village forks, with an option
to walk right or left just after you enter it. In order to get your stamp, take
the right path and walk up the hill. Take your first left and walk under an
archway into what almost looks like someone’s home. Go inside the restaurant in
the door on your right and the stamp should be out on a table. If you show
anyone in the village your book, they should be able to help you.

Taking the
bus from the Mural Painting Village back to Daegok Station is much simpler than
going to the village. Either way, in order to get to the next village, the
Taverns Village, go back to Daegok Station. From outside of exit 1 of the station,
get the 650 bus to Hochon2-ri. This stop is right after crossing a bridge. Walk
back to the other side of the bridge, and the Taverns Village will be on your
left, next to the bridge. Another option is to take the Dalseong 1 bus from the
stop across the street from the 650 stop. You can take that bus to either the
same stop as the 650 or to Hwawon Resort. That stop will be right before
crossing over the bridge. In this case, the village will be to the right side
of the bridge. Although the Dalseong 1 is a branch bus, all the branches stop
at Daegok Station and Hwawon Resort or Hochon 2-ri bus stops. In any case, it
is a very short bus ride, and it is much simpler to get to this village via
public transportation than the Mural Village.

The
Nakdong River used to be the center of trade for the city of Daegu as the river
was the only way to transport goods around the city prior to the creation of
bridges and roads. The Tavern Village was rebuilt in the same style as the old
trading villages from long ago. Upon first impression, it is not much to look
at—just three straw-roofed houses that serve as restaurants. But around the
village is a lovely park that is well-worth the trip in nice weather. If you
are tired of always going to Duryu Park, the park at the Taverns Village is a
great alternative. There are open areas for picnicking, play structures for
children, and a small hill with a tower on top from which you can see a
beautiful panoramic view of Daegu. There is also a small zoo at the park where
the animals seem well cared-for. The location for the stamp is at the
information booth right next to the parking lot at the park’s entrance. The
Taverns Village, and the surrounding park, is an excellent place to exercise or
relax on a nice summer day.

The final
themed village in the Nakdong/Mt. Biseul area of the Korean version of the
Daegu Stamp Trail is Myogol Village or the Yuksinsa Shrine. In order to get
there, take the green line to Daesil Station on the green line. Walk straight
out of exit 1, and take the seongseo 2 bus to Yuksinsa. Again, please be aware
that the seongseo 2 is a branch bus. It only runs 9 times per day, so there is
a long wait time between buses. Be sure to ask the driver if the bus goes to
Yuksinsa. You can say, “Yuksinsa ay kayo (육신사에가요)?” Or if you can read Korean, the electronic
sign may display which branch of the bus is coming next to the number of
minutes until it arrives. If this is too difficult, a taxi should not be very
expensive at all from that area. The bus will drop you off just a short walk
down the road from Yuksinsa Shrine. You go out of the parking area and turn
right. Walk through the Myogol Village, and you’ll see the main gate into the
Shrine. To the left of the gate is an information booth where you can get your
stamp.

The Myogol
Village is a small village surrounding the shrine that contains several very
old hanok-style homes. They are beautifully preserved, but the main attraction
is Yuksinsa Shrine. The history of the shrine is an interesting one. King
Danjong of the Joseon Dynasty succeeded to the throne at age 12. Given his
young age, his uncle, Sejo, decided to stage a coup and seized power in 1453.
The following year, six officials of court attempted to put Danjong back on the
throne, but their plan was discovered, and they were executed. Yuksinsa Shrine
now houses the mortuary tablets of these six men. Memorial ceremonies are held
yearly for the men.

You should
now have six of the eight Nakdong/Mt. Biseul area stamps completed. The seventh
location is Dodong Seowon Confucian Academy. Dodong Seowon Confucian Academy is
quite far outside the city. The best way to get there by public transportation
is to take bus 600 to Guji town office stop and then transfer to the Dalseong 4
to the Dodong Seowon stop. The Dalseong 4 is a branch bus that leaves six times
per day at 150 minute intervals. It may just be easier to take from the Guji
Town Office bus stop instead. There is an information booth right next to the
Academy where you can get your stamp.

Dodong Seowon
Confucian Academy is one of the five most important Confucian Academies in all
of Korea. It was first established in 1568, but the original buildings were
burned by the Japanese during their invasion in 1592. Dodong Seowon was
reconstructed in 1605 in its current location.Outside the Academy, you can see
a 400 year old gingko tree. Dodong Seowon is surrounded by mountains and is
kept well-hidden from the outside world. There are a number of beautiful
carvings on the earthen walls around the Academy, and the main building has
four dragon heads carved along one wall. The various buildings at the Academy
were once used for dormitories and classrooms. At Dodong Seowon, you can get a
glimpse of how Confucian scholars once lived.

The last
location is one with no historical value what so ever to the city of Daegu.
Instead, Daegu Shooting Range simply
gives visitors something entertaining to do on a weekend. The shooting range is only on one branch bus
line, so it is a challenge to get there on public transportation. Instead, take
a taxi from the Bisan E-Mart area for only about 5,000 won. If you show the
driver the page in the stamp book for the shooting range or say, “Daegu
sageokjang (대구사격장),” you should be able to get there without a
problem. The taxi will drop you off in the parking lot in front of one of the
two shooting range buildings. Outside, next to that building, there is a “combat
special forces” practice shooting area set up with a small ticket office room
next to it. In that room, there should be a staff member who can give you your
stamp. You will also need to ask one of the staff members there to call you a
taxi back after you are finished at the shooting range. There should be no
extra cost for that.

The Daegu
Shooting Range offers visitors four different shooting options. There is no
centralized ticket booth, so just purchase tickets from the staff members at
the shooting area you choose. In the first building, you can do target shooting
with an air rifle or screen shooting, which is perfect for children. Outside
the front building, as mentioned previously, is a “special forces”area. There
are two walled-in areas set up to look like combat zones with all kinds of
barriers. There is even a model helicopter. You and your friends can practice
your shooting in an open, and perhaps more realistic area. The prices for that
are 14,000 for adults and 11,000 for children. Inside the first building, one
the first floor, you can try your hand at screen shooting, which costs 2,000
won for adults and 1,500 won for children, to get a little practice before you
shoot a real gun. In the room next door, air rifles are available. There, you
sit in chairs and shoot at paper targets. You can choose between 20 shots for
4,000 won or 10 for 2,000 won. The other floors of the first building are
primarily closed, but there are a lot of other shooting rooms, probably for
competitions or members to use. In the second building, just a short walk
behind the first one, you can try shooting actual weapons. The Daegu Shooting
Range offers four gun options to visitors, but it is possible that not all of
them will be available on the day of your visit. The pistol shooting range is
just two small rooms with 3 booths each, enclosed in sound-proofing and
bullet-proof class. Buy your ticket, put on a safety vest and head phones, and
wait your turn in line. You can watch other people through the glass and see
how they shoot on the target screen above the window. When it is your turn, the
staff might not speak very much English, but it’s not a big deal. They will
explain, basically, how to aim your gun properly, but they will load it for
you. There are metal chains holding the sides of the gun to the booth so that
you can’t turn it around or do anything unsafe with it. For 16,000 won, you get
to fire 10 bullets. After you are done, you can keep your paper target as a
souvenir. Behind the second building, there is a field for clay pigeon
shooting. 25 shots cost 24,000 won and 10 cost 11,000 won. This style of
shooting seems the most difficult, but good luck if you want to try it! The
Daegu Shooting Range has a variety of options of shooting available to
visitors, accommodating all ages and shooting abilities. It is a very interesting
way to spend an afternoon.

By now, the
Daegu Stamp Trail has taken you to places all over the city. You’ve learned new
things at famous historical and cultural locations, participated in sporting
events, visited art museums, appreciated the beautiful scenery of the city, and
simply enjoyed yourself doing the many diverse activities that this city has to
offer. Now what do you do with the book? If you were able to get a stamp at
each of the 30 different locations in the Korean version of the book and/or the
10 different locations in the English version of the book, you now need to send
the book in for your prize. You can send the book to the Daegu Department of
Tourism and Cultural Properties at this address: 88 Gongpyeong-ro, Jung-gu,
Daegu, 700-714 (대구광역시중구공평로 88대구광역시청관광문화재과앞).Please include a short letter with your name,
email address, phone number, and your address. The books will be verified
during the month of November, and you should receive your prize within the
month or shortly thereafter. Your books should also be returned at that time.
It is still unclear what the prize actually is, so it will be a surprise!

Thank you
so much for following these posts and for taking part in the Daegu Stamp Trail.
You have probably seen and experienced more throughout the city than most know
even exists. Hopefully, you found it worth your while. Now, send in your books
and claim your prizes; you earned them! Thank you again.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

If
you’ve been following along with the series of posts about both the Korean and
English versions of the Daegu Stamp Trail, you’ll know that it is almost over!
The Korean version covers 30 locations, and the English version covers 10.
Previous posts have covered the English version in its entirety as well as half
of the Korean book. If you are able to visit all the locations in either, or
both, books by October 30th, you can send it in to receive a prize.

This
is the third of four installments of blog posts about the Korean version of the
Daegu Stamp Trail. This post will just cover the four locations in the Suseong
and Gachang areas mentioned exclusively in the Korean version of the book, but
you can read about the three that are shared by both here: Click.
Please be aware that the four locations covered in this post are not near one
another, so it may be best to see them all on different days. The Daegu Bus
Information website is a great reference tool for finding how to get from your
home to these locations via public transportation, so click this link for more
information: Click.
As there is no particular route to follow between these sites, let’s begin with
the two more active stops and end with both the historical locations.

Apsan
is a mountain in the south of the city that is well-known because of the
lighted observation platform at the top where you can get a stunning view of
the city, especially at night. There are a variety of hiking trails on Apsan,
starting on all sides of the mountain. Probably the best-known trail is the
very steep one that takes about 45 minutes to hike and brings you directly to
the observation platform.

This trail starts as a paved road but becomes more of
a typical trail with stairs built into it once you reach a temple at the half
way point. It’s a hike that most people, even though who are not avid hikers,
are able to accomplish without much trouble.Unfortunately, this well-known
trail is not where you get your stamp. In order to get to the office where you
can get the stamp, walk across the street under the highway as though you are
going to the base of the trail. Once across the street, take a left. A few
minutes up the road, you should pass a stone monument on your right, but
continue walking straight. Follow the curve of the road to the right. At this
point, you’ll begin to see some other trails as you head around to another side
of the mountain. Some of these trails bring you to the observation platform at
the end of a slightly longer but more gradual hike.

Continue walking straight,
and you’ll see a small restaurant/convenience store. Passed the convenience
store and to the right is the white building where you need to go to get your
stamp. Make sure to go during normal business hours, or the office will be
closed. If you show any of the staff in the office your book, they should know
how to help you. There are many ways to enjoy Apsan: do the night hike, hike
any number of beautiful trails along the mountain, or take the cable cars. You
can always go to Apsan and come back another day to get your stamp. There are a
variety of buses that take you close to the entrance of the popular night hike,
and the closest subway station is hyeongchungno on the red line.

The
second more active location in this section of the stamp trail is Suseong
Lake/Suseong Resort. Suseong Lake is famous throughout Daegu as having the
best, and probably the most expensive, restaurants. In the middle of all of
this is a lovely lake with a walking trail completely encircling it. It’s a
great place to walk, run, or bike, and there are nice parks to sit and rest as
well. There is a fountain in the middle of the lake that runs on intervals, and
you can ride in the duck boats if you visit in the summer.

Suseong Resort is a
small amusement park on one end of the lake that primarily caters to young
children. You won’t find anything like the roller coasters at E-World there. It
is just 2,000 won to get in, but you must also pay for the rides and experience
programs after that as well. You can get your stamp at the ticket booth at the
entrance to the amusement park, but you don’t have to feel obligated to go in.
Behind the park is a really unique bingsu café built into the body of an old
plane! Make a day of it and get some delicious lunch or dinner, take a walk
around the lake, and finish it off with some bingsu for dessert. Suseong Lake is not yet connected to a subway
system, but it will be once the new monorail line opens. For now, you can get
there on many different bus lines.

Daegu
is a city with a ton of history to enjoy and appreciate. Some of the historic
locations are apparent to tourists, but other sites are more hidden.
Thankfully, the Daegu Stamp Trail helps teach foreign residents as well as
tourists the history of this city on a deeper level. Momyeongjae Shrine is
between the Manchon (exit 4) and Damti (exit 1) subway stations on the green
line. From Damti station exit 1, walk straight as you come out the exit. After
about 5 minutes, you will come to a place where the road continues straight,
but there is another parallel road that branches off. Look for a brown sign
with the name of the shrine on it and follow the arrows. If you miss the sign,
take the slight road and walk straight down the road parallel to the main one
that you’re on. You’ll walk past some restaurants and coffee shops on your
right. Continue walking straight until you get to another sign that tells you
to turn right. It should be the first possible right after you’ve walked
straight for just a few minutes. At the end of the road is the shrine.

Momyeongjae Shrine is a traditional Korean-style building that was made in 1912
as a monument to Dusachung, a Chinese general who came to help fight against
the Japanese Invasion in 1592 and later became a naturalized citizen. You can
get your stamp at the information booth next to the shrine. Behind the shrine,
you’ll see some hiking/walking trails as well as General Dusachung’s burial site.

NokdongSeowon
Confucian Academy is the last location in this section of the stamp book, and,
like Momyeongjae Shrine, it is of great historical importance to the city. It
is quite simple to get there by public transportation. The Gachang 2 (to Urok),
despite being a branch bus, runs about every 40 minutes, and you can catch it
at the stop called Naengcheon-ri. Any stop before Naengcheon-ri and there’s a
chance you may end up getting on the wrong branch of the bus. The bus will stop
directly in front of the Academy.

The Nokdong Seowon Confucian Academy was
built in 1789 to commemorate the achievements of Kim Chung-Seon. Kim was a
Japanese general who became a naturalized Korean citizen during the Japanese Invasion
in 1592. He later spent many years in the Korean military, helping to defend
the country against further foreign invasions. The Nokdong Seowon Confucian
Academy is a very peaceful place, located off the beaten path surrounded by
trees and mountains. Next to the Academy is the Korea-Japan Friendship Center,
a museum, opened in 2012, focusing on the long periods of positive interactions
and relations between the two countries. The museum also offers several
experience programs, including trying on traditional clothing from both
countries and doing a tea tasting.

The
Gachang and Suseong area of the Daegu Stamp Trails focused on being active as
well as historically informed. There are just three weekends left to finish the
stamp trail and mail in the book to receive a prize. The upcoming final post in
this series will also cover what to do with the book once it is finished, so
stay tuned for that.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Seven Daegu bus routes have been changed since last 10th of October. This change was obliged to be made for a better transportation system for newly developed suburban districts like Innovation city in Dong-gu and Geumho area in Buk-gu.

Check the changed routes below not to be embarrassed before you take a bus!!